Improvement in car-couplings



l. Fw. HANCDGK.v Car-Couplings.

Patend Feb. 17.11874.`

No.l47,637.

auf /l Inventor. n

. .dtorneg/s.

UNITED STATES Josnrn F. HANCOCK,

NPrrrnN'r OFFICE.

OF OTTUMVVA, IOVA.

IMPRQVEMENT IN CAR-comunes.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 147,637, dated February 17, 1874; application led May 24, 1873.

To all lwhom it may' concern:

Be it known that I, J. F. HANCOCK, of Ottumwa, in the county of W'apello and in the State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gar-Coupling;V and do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the letters of reference marked thereon, making a part of this specification.

The nature of my invention consists in the construction and arrangement of a car-coupling, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

ln order to enable others skilled in the art to which my invention appertains to make and use the same, I will now proceed to describe its construction and operation, referring tothe annexed drawing, in which- Figure l is a plan View of my car-couplin g. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section, Fig. 3 a side view, and 4 a front view, of one of the draw-heads.

A A represent two draw-heads, constructed in any suitable manner, and each provided at its front or outer end with a ange, a, projecting outward on each side, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. In each draw-head A are pivoted two draw-bars, B B, projecting forward (one on each side) beyond the front or outer end of the head. Through the inner or rear ends of the draw-bars B B passes a rod, b, with a spiral spring, d, around the same, to operate on the draw-bars so as to throw their outer or front ends inward. In the inner side of the outer end of each draw-bar B is cut a square notch, fi, to grasp the anges a a of two opposite draw-heads.

When the cars are coupled, the draw-bars 0f each car catch on the ange of the coupling on the Opposite car, and the spring d in rear holds the draw-bars over the flange.

It will be seen, by reference to Figs. l and 2, that the back shoulder of the notch fi presses immediately behind the iiange a of the coupling, and thus serves to lease the pressure on the pins which pivot the draw-bars, and prevent them from breaking too easily.

In each draw-head A, between the draw-bars B B, is placed a cam, C, on a vertical shaft, f, by means of which the front ends ofthe draw-` bars are spread apart to uncouple the ears.

The front ends of the draw-heads are provided with one or more apertures, e, and a pin, 7L, so that the ordinary pin-and-link coupling can be used. l

If both draw-bars on one coupling should break and those on the other remain unbroken, the cars will, nevertheless, move along without separating; or, if one draw-bar on each car breaks, one of the others can be changed, so as to make a complete coupling on one drawhead; or, if all should become broken, the ordinary link can be used.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The draw-heads A A, provided with anges a a., in combination with the draw-bars B B and the springs which operate the same, as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 15th day of May, 187e.

J. r. HANCOCK.

Witnesses:

J. T. HAoKwoR'rH, A. G. HARRow. 

